A parcel containing two sachets of heroin concealed in the hard cover of a book was intercepted at the Parcel Post Office in Port Louis on the morning of Friday 9 September. Fiona Marika Rajah Gopal, a 53-year-old Quatrebornaise company director, who came to pick up the delivery on Thursday 15 September was arrested by police officers from the Anti-Drug and Smuggling Unit (ADSU) at the port. The drug seized was 208.15 grams, with an estimated street value of Rs 3,122,250. A provisional charge of importing drugs under aggravating circumstances has been made against Fiona Gopal.
The package arrived in Mauritius on Thursday 8 September at the parcel office at the Port Louis Central Post Office on flight 4Y152 in the name of Besale Ltd. It was intercepted on Friday 9 September by elements of the ADSU at the port. The parcel was thoroughly examined and one of the two hard-cover books inside was found to be abnormally shaped. It was opened. It was then that two plastic bags containing 208.15 grams of heroin were discovered. The Assistant Commissioner of Police, Sharir Azima, had to give instructions for a controlled delivery operation to be set up.
Contact was made with the recipient to take delivery of the package at the Floréal post office. This exercise, under the supervision of Assistant Superintendent of Police Salim Hossanee, resulted in the arrest of Fiona Gopal as soon as she presented herself with her identity card to pick up the package. On the same day, a search was conducted at her home and office, no drugs were found. However, the Adsu investigators seized her ordinary laptop and mobile phone as evidence.
Fiona Gopal was placed in a cell at the Vacoas detention centre. During the day on Friday 16 September, the Quatrebornaise was brought before the court in Curepipe. She is facing a provisional charge of importing drugs under aggravating circumstances. She was subsequently kept in a police cell.
